Fort Scott, Kansas · Paltron / CC BY-SA 4.0Fort Scott Fire · Bgraves at en.wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0Ft. Scott, KS public library funded by Andrew Carnegie · Kaethesson / CC BY-SA 3.0Gunn Park, Fort Scott, United States Sep 19, 2020 09-08-37 AM · SethNeedham / CC BY-SA 4.0
Fort Scott is a small town of 7,569 in Kansas, with a median household income of $45,206
and a 4.5% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 87 (US average = 100), which is
13% below the national average.
Strengths:
Fort Scott stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Fort Scott is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Fort Scott city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 86.6
Fort Scott's overall cost of living index is 86.6,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Fort Scott costs roughly 13% less than the average American city.
Metric
Fort Scott, KS
National Avg
Median Home Value
$82,300
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$798
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
60.4%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$45,206
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Fort Scott's violent crime rate is 290.5 per 100,000 residents
— 24% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
290.5 /100k
Property Crime
1690.2 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Fort Scott is served primarily by Fort Scott.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.9:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Fort Scott, KS
National Avg
School District
Fort Scott
—
Elementary Schools
2
—
Middle Schools
1
—
High Schools
1
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.9:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
20.3%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
86.2%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Fort Scott sees average highs of 42.0°F in January
and 90.7°F in July,
with 45.0 inches of annual precipitation
and 8.4 inches of snow per year.
Fort Scott's cost of living index is 87, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Fort Scott roughly 13% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $82,300 and median rent is $798/month.
Fort Scott's violent crime rate is 290.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1690.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Fort Scott are operated by Fort Scott.
The district has 2 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.9:1. 20.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Fort Scott, KS has a population of 7,569, a median household income of $45,206, and an unemployment rate of 4.5%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Fort Scott averages 42.0°F in January and 90.7°F in July. Annual rainfall is 45.0 inches
with about 8.4 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Fort Scott, KS is covered by 1 ZIP code: 66701.
The population of Fort Scott, Kansas is 7,569 with a median age of 38.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Fort Scott: cost of living index 87 (100 = US average), median home $82,300, median household income $45,206, crime index 78 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Fort Scott side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
